This past week has been all about the connections users have with each other on social news sites; the very fabric that makes up the social environment. Newsvine added ways for users to connect with each other. Digg took some away. Netscape did a little of both.

Last week, Netscape flashed a teaser of the upcoming version 9 of its browser. Details are few, but what is most exciting to me about this release is that they’re touting integration with their social news site. This is something that many a social news junkie has lusted after for use with sites like Digg, Reddit and Newsvine. But what exactly will it entail? How deep will the integration go? What will it take to make it a killer app for Netscape.com users? And what effect will this have on social news? [Read more…]

People often ask me what drew me to the world of social news. This is a question that has more possible answers now than when I started using Digg. Some of the answers also provide insights as to why it is so hard to stop participating in social news once you’ve started.

Before the age of social news sites, I used to work in an office with an open-concept layout. The employees there would frequently IM links to current events to everyone in the office. People would read it and then shout out comments or witty remarks about it. This was the original social news for me. The environment on Digg reminded me of that. [Read more…]

The social aspects of sites like Digg, Netscape and Newsvine often provide the most rewarding experiences of the site. Being social is also a sure-fire way to move up the rankings and gain respect within the communities. There is a point, however, where being social can be construed as gaming the site. So where does being social end and gaming begin? [Read more…]

With a new year comes new opportunities and a chance to set goals for the year to come. Here is a grab-bag of new year’s resolutions for Netscapers, Diggers, Redditers, etc. If everyone took on a couple of these, the world of socially driven news would be a better place by the end of 2007. [Read more…]